# Syntax for text formatting

**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/syntax-for-text-formatting/213729
**Category:** programming
**Created:** [January 22, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/syntax-for-text-formatting/213729 "2007-01-22T20:14:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![jimjiminyjimjim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/aeb1de/32.png) [@jimjiminyjimjim](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/jimjiminyjimjim)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/syntax-for-text-formatting/213729/1 "2007-01-22T20:14:11Z")

</div>

This is the php that is used in Form2Mail.

```php

$message .= "$var:$val
";

```

If I wanted to make the $var in bold text what would be the correct syntax? I tried this:

```php

$message .= "<b>$var:</b>$val
";

```

But the message ending up being \<b\>name:\</b\>=name in the email!

Also if you have multiple lines in $val, e.g if it was an address - is there a way to format it so that the second line starts under the first as if it were tabbed?

rather than

Address: First Line  
Second Line  
Third Line

Any help greatly appreciated thanks. :be: